abroad

home

you cannot be 

one fixed place

you have to be

fluid, adapting 

to where i am 

so let go of your 

old-fashioned ideas, to 

help me stay sane 

hello 

new home  

adopt me please

spider

​a spider

weaves its web

from one leaf

to another 

fine silk 

is threaded

into beautiful symmetry

an intricate pattern 

maybe you will notice it

on a misty morning 

hanging in the forest 

in all its dewy glory 

maybe you will say 

ooh and aah

take a picture 

and gather a following

meanwhile, a fly

caught in the web

is relished 

by this artist 

it cares not a damn

for your like 

or your comment

or for what you think

waves on the rocks

heavy
with the weight
of a billion secrets

the sea crashes
on the shore
scattering them into the air
asking for more 

offer

i want 

to give you everything

my patience

when you need time

my silence 

when you need space

my comfort

when you don't want to ask 

my love

when you don't expect it

my stupidity 

when you want distraction

my madness

when you want to let loose

my readiness

when you want to experiment

my stillness

when you want peace 

my understanding 

when you need to be in sync 

my acceptance

when we disagree 

i want to give you 

everything

take it. 

​​

fort

i broke my fort 

for you 

and now i don't know

what to do 

because even if i build

the walls all over again

you're already inside. 

rich

let me tell you

what I see in you 

you should know 

your wealth. 

what's the price you pay
for the money you earn? 

connect

i laughed
and laughed

and laughed
till i choked

and then
i took a breath 
caught your eye

and we burst out again 

some best friends
are made overnight

inseparable

softly

sound the notes

scattered at first 

the right hand 

light,

tentatively touches

the ivories 

the left hand 

guttural, lends the song

form,

shaping it.

the two

play with each other

tugging, pulling

the right hand

laughs

trills

like a girl

the left hand 

more masculine,

rooted 

forms the bass

on which she builds 

they move

towards each other 

mostly

but at times, leave

to randomly float 

into rubatos

returning

in joy  

sometimes, the notes 

too close to each other

sometimes

at octaves

too far apart 

noisy, turbulent 

but keeping time always

through the rests

making peace 

through the tests. 

when you learn the song

you learn to play

both hands together 

two 

is a melody.

rooted

I think
if I put my roots 
in you 

I would make
a fine tree.

don't trade your
peace of mind 
for 

don't trade
your peace of mind.

sleep 
you soothe me
you help me 
you immerse me
in thoughtlessness
and your sweet gentle care 
 
i crave 
your company

you're a friend.

open space
can you
wrap yourself
around me?

so i don't feel
caged anymore

toussaint

the pianist
does his thing
and we are prisoners
behind his bars

real

​those words
you said to me
still ring in my ears
every time i feel low

time and time again
they put things in perspective
and bring balance
back into my world

you were ruthless
and it was a relief
that you offered no
sugar-coated sympathy

but you simply, plainly
put things in place
you helped me
pick myself up

and i will never
forget it.
dei thoo, you said​
is this the end of the world?​

why worry now

my feet soak
in a bucket of

white foam 

water
warms to my feet

warms my aching soles

dire straits
blasts through

the speakers

an assortment of novels

lie around me

on the bed 

i holler above

knopfler's low voice

lyrics i have known
since school 

and i see 

you're going to say 

something
but no, stop

you can't touch
this moment
save it for later

because right now

lady writer's
on the tv

​​

wheelie

a boy

​on a bicycle

sails past me 

quietly, and 

in the light

of the lamp-post

near the grocery store

​​i see him

do a wheelie 

simply, freely 

and almost 

unceremoniously 

on the empty street

nothing that anyone else

might have seen

except the evening stars

his front wheel 

was silhouetted against. 

tie-breaker

i watch
this relationship
gasp for air

limbs flailing
it struggles
to survive

i am baffled
at how love
can be warped

twisted, skewed
and distorted
like a photoshop image

i am shocked at how

it can transform itself

into this

and i weep
till i feel

i might 

cough up
my intestines.

i go through

anger, bitterness

self-doubt
and disappointment

i try to save

bits and pieces frantically

but i realise that

at some point
the relationship
can't take its own weight

and in the end
i only want
to save myself. 

"I love this song!"

it's the moment
you play something
and I recognize it

it's your voice
in harmony
with mine

it's the look
in your eyes
that shine into mine

in anticipation
and knowingness
it's the pause

before we sing
the chorus
it's the acknowledgement

of shared histories
in an old song
we both know the lyrics of

it's upliftment
it's losing ourselves
to a common power

music is your friend
as it is mine
but the companionship

between you and me
is exclusive, it is
a magical connect

however brief,
momentary
or fleeting

in that split second
as you catch my eye
while on stage

or in the hours
that we sing softly
to acoustic guitars

all loneliness
explodes and dissolves
into a fuel

that will keep
my feet moving
i'm grateful for you.

solution

a great many 
problems are solved
by keeping your mouth shut.